Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), is under fire for publicly calling Tyler Robinson—the accused assassin of Charlie Kirk—a “right‑wing kid,” despite substantial evidence that Robinson held left‑leaning views. Wolfson’s statement appears inconsistent with AAUP’s own guidelines that demand accuracy and restraint in public commentary.
Robinson is charged with assassinating conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk at an event held at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. Utah prosecutors have announced intent to seek the death penalty.
Wolfson’s public post asserted that Robinson “was a disturbed right wing kid … that likely murdered Kirk because he was not right wing enough.” Yet multiple sources report that Robinson had adopted leftist political positions before the attack. The AAUP policy mandates that its members “at all times be accurate … exercise appropriate restraint … make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution.”
The clash highlights deeper tensions in academia’s role amid political violence. The AAUP recently defended professors’ free speech rights following Kirk’s assassination—but stopped short of explicitly condemning the shooting. Critics argue that Wolfson’s remarks damage the credibility of faculty free‑speech advocacy when leaders violate their own standards.
